Lebanon

Lebanon, the once glorious city-state of Phoenicia known for its maritime trading culture, is a small country situated along the very famous shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Its major cities are Tripoli, Byblos, Sidon, Tyre and others, including Beirut as its capital. This beautiful country experiences different climates which depend on the area. Those who live in the coastal areas experience mild winters and hot and humid summers that are also rainy. While those in elevated areas experience heavy winter and warm and dry summers.

The country’s official language is Arabic although most of the citizens can fluently speak English and French. Most people here are Arabs, 70% of them are Muslims divided into two main groups, the Sunni and the Shiite. There are also 30% Christians in Lebanon, most of them Maronites and minority groups such as the Armenians.

The country’s topography is described as mountainous with two mountain ranges. In contrast, the Al Biqa valley is a fertile land found in East Lebanon. This land serves a great role in Lebanon’s agricultural economy as it is the country’s main farming region. Surprisingly, the country’s economy is unique unlike other Arab countries since it has a laissez-fair and capitalist economy. Beirut is actually the commercial and financial center in Middle East as the country’s urban population is renowned for its commercial enterprise that yielded large network throughout the whole world. Furthermore, the country also has a large proportion of skilled labor making it a service oriented economy. Their government also reflects uniqueness as they practice a democratic from of governance with Parliament members elected every 4 years and for the president, every 6 years. Their government also follows a special system called confessionalism, which works to deter any conflict between religious communities or sectors and promote equality as there is fair representation among them.

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